Curved-track oiler and greaser.



C. F. ALEXANDER. CURVED TRACK OILER AND GEEASER. APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1913.

$1,099,631w Patented June 9,1914.

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Witnesses by un 6 Attorneys COLUMBIA PLANOGRAFH ccuwAsmNnrml D c CHARLES E. ALEXANDER, OF SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

CURVED-TRACK OILER AND GREASER.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June ".9, 1914.

Application filed July 11, 1913. Serial No. 778,612.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, CHARLns F. ALEX- ANDER, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Jose, in the county of Santa Clara and State of California, have invented a new and useful Curved-Track Oiler and Greaser, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an automatic oiling and greasing device which is to be secured to the truck of a car and brought into contact with the rails when the truck shifts relative to the car body such as will take place when the car encounters a curve.

An object of the invention is to provide an automatic oiling device which is lowered into contact with a rail as the car passes over a curve, the device in question being adapted to oil the outside rail. The inner rail of the curve may also be oiled or greased should it be so desired and an apparatus for simultaneously oiling both of the rails of a curve is clearly illustrated in Figure l hereinafter more fully referred to.

A further object of the device is to pro vide a swab wheel which when the truck shifts relative to the car body is lowered into contact with the rail and a friction gear at the same time brought into contact with one of the car wheels to thereby forcibly rotate the said swab wheel, the rotation of which is adapted to actuate a force pump whereby oil or grease is forcibly ejected upon the swab for the oiling and greasing of the track rails.

A further object is to provide a device of the class described in which as the swab wheel is lowered into engagement with the track, a valve will be opened which controls an oil and grease supply.

With the foregoing and other objects in View which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof, the preferable form of my invention is illustrated, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmental view of a railroarl car truck with my improved device secured thereto. Fig. 2 is a front sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view showing the construction of the oiling pump and the manner in which the same is rotated. Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a truck, illustrating the same as equipped with means whereby the oiling and greasing apparatus upon both sides of the truck are simultaneously lowered to contact with the rails of a curve so that both rails will be oiled and greased.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 1 represents the rails of a railroad track which my device is intended to oil and grease.

In Fig. 2 there have been two rails illustrated, the same being the usual construction upon curves. However, it is to be noted that the device in question may operate upon the inner flange and head of the outer rail of the curve, or the device may oil and grease both rails of a curve, means whereby the same may be accomplished being illustrated in Fig. 4. A car truck 5 is mounted upon the car wheels 6 and supports thereabove the car body 7. Secured to the car truck 5 is a plate 8 pivotally secured to which are the arms 9 and 10, to the outer extremities of which is pivotally secured the cylindrical casing 11. The arms 9 and 10 .which sup port the casing 11 are substantially the same length so that the casing is mounted for parallel movement, and inasmuch as the easing 11 is initially positioned vertical it will always remain in this position. The motion of the casing is one of translation. Secured to the upper extremity of the casing 11 is the gear box 12 which contains the mitered or beveled gears 13 therein. A shaft 14 extends through the side wall of the gear box and carries at one end the friction wheel 15 which is adapted to contact with the surface of the car wheel 6 and to be rotated thereby, and to the other end of said shaft is rigidly secured one of the beveled gears 18, the other of the pair of beveled gears 13 being rigidly secured to a shaft 16 which extends down through the cylindrical casing 11. Slidably mounted on the casing 11 is a housing 17 pivotally supported by means of the link 18 to the plate 8. The link 18 is somewhat longer than the arms 9 and 10 and is disposed at a slight angle to the vertical. A detail of the housing 17 is illustrated in Fig. 1 from which it will be noted that the housing is provided with two openings or pipes leading therefrom, the pipe or outlet 19 leading from the upper portion thereof and the outlet 20 leading from the lower portion thereof. These pipes or outlets 19 and 20 communicate with the interior of a hood 21 and are adapted to distribute oil therein from the housing 17. Disposed within the housing 17 is a spiral pump 22 which is adapted to pump or eject a liquid from the housing as it is delivered thereto by means of a pipe 23 which communicates with i the central portion of the said housing.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that as the spiral pump 22 is rotated it will forcibly eject oil or grease which is delivered thereto by the pipe 23 out through one of the openings or outlet pipes 19 or 20 according to the direction in which the pump member 22 is rotated to thereby deliver oil or grease into the hood 21.

The spiral pump member 22 as illustrated in Fig. 3 is provided with a square opening 2d ext-ending therethrough into which extends the casing 11, it being pointed out that the casing 11 is circular and does not interfere nor influence the rotation of the pump member 22. The shaft 16 extends down through the casing through the pump member 22 and is provided with the squared enlarged portion 25 which engages the side walls of the square opening 24. so that the shaft 16 rotates the pump member 22 and at the same time allows for a relative sliding movement of the two parts. Big-idly secured to the lower extremity of the shaft 16 is the swab wheel or brush 26 which is adapted to contact with the rail and to oil and grease the same, the swab wheel being of such size as to fit within and be protected by the hood 21 when it is in its raised position.

Rigidly secured to the upper arm 9 is the lever 27 to the upper extremity of which is secured a resilient spring 28, the latter being secured to a hook 29 secured to the car body. As the car truck and car body turn about the king pin upon the encountering of a curve in the track, the resilient member 28 will draw the lever 27 into the position as illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 with the result that the arms 9 and 10 will lower the casing 11 to bring the swab brush 26 into contact with the rails. The arm 9 is provided with a projection eX- tending beyond the pivotal support thereof and to the free end of which is pivoted the arm of a valve 30, the valve 30 being located in an oil delivery pipe 31, the same communicating with the housing 17 and an oil tank or receptacle 32. The valve 30 is automatically opened by a lowering of the arm 9 and closed by a raising thereof. A resilient spring 28' is secured to the lever 27 and acts in an opposite direction to the resilient member 28 so that the oiling and greasing means will be raised. when the truck has passed beyond a curve.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows: Then the car truck is in alinement with the car body thereabove which is the relative position of the two parts as the car moves along a straight track, the resilient member 28 will be relaxed and hold the lever 27 in the position illustrated in full lines in Fig. 1 with the result that the casing 11 and the shaft 16 will be held in a raised position with the friction wheel 15 out of contact with the car wheel 6 and the swab wheel or brush 26 disposed within the hood 21 and protected thereby. Also the oil 'or grease supplying valves 30 will be closed. When the car truck encounters a curve the shifting of the car body 7 and the truck 5 causes the resilient member 28 to draw the lever 27 into the dotted position shown in Fig. 1, the arm 9 thrusting the casing 11 downwardly and opening the oil and grease controlling valves 30. The friction wheel 15 will be brought into contact with the car wheel 6 and rotated thereby to therefore cause a corresponding rotation of the shaft 16 and the swab brush 26. The lowering of the casing ll'causes a lowering of the swab brush which will bring the same into contact with the rail to oil and grease the same. The friction wheel 15 causes a corresponding rotation of the shaft 16 which due to the squared portion 25 thereof causes a rotation of the pump member 22 which will therefore forcibly eject oil onto the lowered swab wheel. Thus the speed of rotation of the car will govern the speed of rotation of the pump and control the amount of oil supplied to the track. The manner in which the housing and hood are supported allows the housing and hood to move side wise to allow for the transitory motion of the casing 11.

In some instances it has been found that the curves as met with in practice are not banked sufiiciently or the train is required to pass over the same at varying velocities and in these cases the flange of the wheel may frictionally engage the lower and inner rail of the track and in order that the oiling means will oil the inner curve as well as the outer one, the construction illustrated in Fig. 1 is provided which differs from the foregoing in the fact that the arms 27 are secured to the resilient members 28 which are located upon the front of the truck and members upon both sides of the truck, the oiling and greasing of both rails being the result.

Having thus fully described the invention what I claim is 1. In a device of the class described the combination of a swab wheel, a friction wheel adapted to contact with the wheels of a truck, a shaft secured to said swab wheel and rotated by said friction wheel, means for lowering the said swab wheel and friction wheel into contact with a rail and the truck wheel respectively and simultaneously.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a swab wheel, a friction wheel, a shaft supporting said swab wheel and driven by said friction wheel, and automatic means operated by the encountering of a track curve for the simultaneous lowering of the swab wheel and friction wheel into contact with the track and the truck wheel respectively.

3. In a mechanism as set forth, the combination of a swab wheel, means for delivering oil and grease thereto, a protecting hood for said swab wheel, and automatic means for lowering the said swab wheel from out of the protecting hood and into contact with a track rail as the car passes over a curve, said means adapted to return the swab wheel to the protecting hood after the curve has been passed.

4. In a track oiler and greaser, the combination of a shaft mounted for rotation and translation, a friction wheel mechanically connected thereto and adapted to contact with the truck wheel, an oil pump secured to the said rotatable shaft and actuated thereby, means disposed at the lower extremity of said shaft adapted to contact with the rail for the oiling and greasing thereof, said oil pump adapted to eject oil upon said oiling and greasing means, and automatic means for lowering the said shaft during the passing of the car over a curve.

5. In a mechanism of the class set forth, the combination of a rotatable shaft, a friction wheel mechanically secured thereto, and adapted to actuate the same, a swab brush rigidly secured to the lower extremity of said shaft, automatic means for normally holding the said swab wheel in a raised position, said automatic means adapted to lower the swab wheel as the car encounters a curve, an oil pump actuated by said shaft, and an oil supply valve controlled by said automatic lowering means, said valve adapted to open when the swab wheel is lowered into contact with the rail.

6. A device of the class described comprising a track oiling member, an oil delivering pump adapted to supply oil thereto, actuating means for said pump, and automatic means for lowering said actuating means into contact with the wheel of a truck during the rounding of a curve.

7. A device of the class described comprising a track oiling member, an oil delivering pump adapted to supply oil thereto, actuating means for said pump, automatic means for lowering said actuating means into contact with the wheel of a truck during the rounding of a curve, and means for normally holding said actuating means out of contact with said truck wheel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES F. ALEXANDER. Witnesses W. A. BEASLY,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01' Patents, Washington, D. G." 

